Monthly Archives: December 2021

Our internal drivers

Posted on December 31, 2021 by koenfucius

Featured image: <drivers.jpg> (image: HeungSoon/Pixabay) In the face of multiple, conflicting motives, how can we make the best decisions? The very first humans were already economists. At least, that is what we would conclude if we were to believe the … Continue reading →

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Smiling at a deadweight loss

Posted on December 17, 2021 by koenfucius

featured image: Matt Stratton/Flickr CC BY NC ND 2.0) Should we be simply be giving each other cash, or are presents better after all? 28 years ago, then young-ish economist Joel Waldfogel wrote a paper, The Deadweight Loss of Christmas, … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavioural economics, Economics, Emotions, Psychology | Tagged , | 6 Comments

The favourable dictator

Posted on December 10, 2021 by koenfucius

(featured image: Jeanne darq/Flickr CC BY NC ND 2.0) Social beings that we are, we regularly rely on favours from others, but bluntly asking is rather awkward. Are there better ways? Yes, there are! It is hard to imagine our … Continue reading →

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The non-non-conformity bias

Posted on December 3, 2021 by koenfucius

(featured image: illustration from the Emperor’s New Clothes via Wikimedia) How what we believe other people think leads to a peculiar kind of inaction Picture the scene. A bunch of young adolescents, all dressed up, awkwardly sitting on the chairs … Continue reading →

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